996 shopping, just a couple questions.

I intend to become a "returning member". I have owned a 951 track car, an impossibly rare 928GT and a Cayenne S previously. The 996 looks like a great way to get back into a Porsche and finally own a 911. I have been doing a ton of reading, no IMS or RMS questions from me I do have a few equipment choices to make as I search for cars though. I have been ruling out cars that do not have the full leather, they just look so much nicer to me with stitching on the dash. I also feel like I need the memory seat option since my wife and I are 10-11 inches difference in height. So that brings about the first question... can I reasonably expect the memory seat function to work properly at this age? I didn't see any talk of repair or replacement on the forum... does yours still work? I am looking for a little clarification on the TC button. This is coupled with the code 220 LSD on early cars? Or do I have that wrong. This car will be driven in the winter, in the mountains of Colorado. PSM or TC or old fashioned LSD if available? It will be on snows but may have to do some slippery hills. Doesn't sound like C4 is a significant advantage but I am open to conjecture on that one. Coupe vs Cabriolet. There are just so many nice cabs, about 50% of the market as I currently shop. I would not normally consider one but why not? We do get 300 days of sunshine, I suspect it would get used as a droptop plenty often. How much for a replacement top? Is the mechanism a maint problem? I will be in Denver at the end of the week, and will have some time to look. I see Prestige has 2-3 996s in inventory, even fairly priced. I do not think any of them exactly fit my options list but I will try to schedule them for a drive (coupe and a cab). Thanks in advance for the help!

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Seat memory still works in my 03 Turbo. While I have no wife to share the car with I used the Turbo to ferry my Mom and Dad to the doctor and carried a wheel chair in the back seat. To get the wheel chair in to the car I had to move my seat forward. The seat stayed put when I locked the car but when I unlocked it the seat would return to the driving position I had saved. Then I'd have to move the seat forward again to get the wheel chair out. I was a bit worried about the seat hardware wearing out but the hardware is quite robust. The C4 AWD brings nothing to the table for marginal traction conditions. If you want proof just google some videos of 996 C4's in the snow. I watched a couple just last night. In fact I can paste a couple of links for you: C4S in the snow: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K8M6oB8NWiI# C4S in the snow: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xnTxWkLfA4g# 2013 4S in the snow: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PQjYTJt5PsY# As you can see from the 1st two videos while the rear wheels are spinning like crazy the front wheels/tires are in some cases almost stationary. There is no torque being transmitted to the front axle. In fact in watching the first two videos I was thinking the driver was probably cooking the viscous coupling, but maybe the cold temperature saved it. In the last video the car is equipped with the newer coupling that used clutch discs under DME control. From the video one can see the front wheels/tires spinning along with rear wheels/tires. Thus a newer C4/C4S and Turbo equipped with this style I think would offer some AWD benefits in marginal traction conditions. Now understand even if you get a 996 C4(S) or even a Turbo with the proper tires fitted the car will do quite well in the snow. Ground clearance will be the biggest problem. As for the top and top hardware longevity I can't help you. While i have a Boxster I never drop the the top so the top hardware is pretty much unused. I know from reading posts that the top hardware both in the 911 and the Boxster can develop problems, wear out, break even, but the hardware doesn't seem to be particularly fragile. If you really are a top down driving enthusiast then get a Cab. But it you can live without the top down feature you are better off with a coupe as the coupe is a stiffer and lighter car and of course a simpler car.

I have a few comments as another Colorado 911 owner. I drove my 911 with the top down today. It's after Thanksgiving and I had the top down! I think that Colorado is the perfect state for a cabriolet. I drove my 996 C4S as my daily driver in Colorado for years. With proper winter tires, it is a very capable vehicle. Macster is right - ground clearance is the biggest issue. As mentioned, the mechanical AWD system in the 996 won't give you anything during normal driving conditions. PSM will intervene during rear wheel slip and will control that slippage before the front wheels are ever engaged. I did have a time a few years ago where I couldn't get up a steep, snow covered driveway. I turned PSM off, allowing the rear wheels to slip a little bit. The fronts eventually did receive enough power to get me up the hill. I think that the AWD adds something, but not much. Proper winter tires are really the key. What you do get in the C4S is the best looking variant of the 996, in my opinion. FWIW, I never had any issues with my memory seat functionality.

Good to know on the seat memory, that will stay on the list. I am not too worried about winter, we are doing it now with a GTI on 225/40-18 all seasons. I suspect a C2 with winter tires will do as well or better. I have driven in the winter all my life and have a truck for nasty stuff. I am thinking a '99 C2 coupe with LSD, full leather,lumbar/memory seats with good history will be the target. It will have to do some DE days too, so coupe it is! I think avoiding complexities is a good tact to be on. I am not a Cab guy and the 996 awd system is more complexity with limited benefits. Of course I probably knew those things but thanks for getting me back on track!

The C4S just doesn't call to me. The simple coupe lines of the narrow body look great to me. I like that you get leather standard but the 10-15k price difference with very little actual performance gain isn't for me. Turbo, heck yes, if I could swing it. I think the 996 turbo is going to double in value over the next five years, wish I could get in on that!

You should definitely buy the one that calls to you! For me, that was the C4S. I actually prefer the look of the 996 C4S to the 996 turbo. My other favorite 996 is the MK I with the factory aero kit. Another thing to consider is the supple leather option. The leather used for that option has a gathered look and from what I've seen, it tends to hold up better than the standard perforated leather. I have heard that Porsche used a thicker, higher quality leather for the supple leather seats.

Full leather is the right call. Don't settle for a car with minimum options. They don't add much to value, but a lot to enjoyment. Full leather, Bose, PSM, heated seats, etc. Get to know the option packages like Comfort, Technics, and Advanced Technics. This can make it much faster to sort through online ads, where options are often not detailed. For example, if an 02 doesn't have Bose emblems on the door speaker, it probably does not have Bi-Xenon headlights. Consumer Guide has a good list of options and packages by year. http://https://consumerguide.com/used/1999-11-porsche-911/#Equipment

The seat memories have not been a problem on my '99 cab. They are great as there is a 7" height difference in my two drivers. Regarding the Cab part, we have a lot of sun out here and having the top down is terrific. It also gives you improved visibility as a bonus. The tops can have issues. One that seems quite common is having problems with the automatic latch that puts out the hook that secures the top to the windshield. This part costs $800. If I were buying a cab I would run that top up and down a dozen times before I bought it.

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Funny how quickly you learn the tricks that allow you to get through the ads more quickly Presence of the lumbar adjuster means drivers memory, power seat package. Thanks for the link!

I will put another plug in for the supple leather. It feels and looks very nice. Memory seats have been no problem. Cab top mechanism has been no problem. I did replace the top a year ago at a total cost of about $1,800 IIRC. Proper winter tires are absolutely key to driving on ice and snow. My advice would be to not set your mind on a specific year. Instead look for vehicles that meet your option requirements. Let that and the condition of the car be the top factors. Regarding stiffness, remember that C4 cabs are built stiffer than standard cabs. I would expect that C4 cabs might still be a bit less stiff than a standard coupe, but probably not by much if they are.

+1^

Member Litesonic JUST (4 days ago?) traded in his 40th Anniversary to an independent dealer up here in Northern Colorado. The car was immaculate, I know it, and he owned it for 4 years, I believe it was a SoCal car until a couple of years ago. I doubt it has re-sold yet, probably not even advertised. 40th's have more power, LSD, and plenty of other goodies...

LSD is a somewhat rare option from what I hear. You can always add aftermarket LSD for about $2k which will work better than factory which is likely ready for a rebuild 15 years later. I just picked up a 99 C2 with full leather and am just loving the car so far. Good luck with the hunt!

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I haven't seen it advertised yet and I am prowling craiglist, cars.c, autotrader, ebay and of course Rennlist. I am also trying to keep this to a max of $25k initial outlay, that precudes the C4S and probably the 40th car. There are a few in Denver I have on my list. None yet with full leather though. I am fine with searching for a while, no rush.

In case you haven't followed my posts recently, this is what I wanted: Leather dash and door cards, full leather would be nice, but not required. Lightronic (xenon) headlights Aero package Metallic paint that was not silver, something custom Aluminum inserts on the dash Some nice wheels I pretty much figured out for a $20K budget I would be looking at a 99 or 00. Considering the 99 was the first year of production, there were a lot of people that were doing custom ordering of cars in 1998 when the order guide comes out. Found one with all of the above with grey interior (which I wanted) and a few more options on it. When it came up with 31K miles and the first owner had it for 13 years, I jumped on it even though it had been only a few weeks that I was looking. $22K was the agreed upon price. I posted about a blue one with aero package in Green Bay, WI that I looked at with all of these options plus a few, but had a full re-spray but the paint was super clean. Dark Blue color. There is also a Viola Metallic C4 in Oklahoma City that I was going to looking at (travel plans changed last minute), but it has an aftermarket aero package, but has a FULL grey leather interior. The guy is asking $25K, he told me he was looking to get $23K, but I bet you could get it for $21K. It's on Autotrader. If you need links to any of these let me know. If you haven't used searchtempest.com, that's how I found my car, would just search for "Porsche 911" titles only nationwide. Good luck!

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I thought the dash and doors was full leather, also includes the a-pillar? I understand that there were probably additional leather packages but yes to door cards and dash leather, that is what I had in mind, more being better of course. I am not set on the Litronics. They will attract more attention here in ruralsville. Now I must say the bi-xenons in my Cayenne were epic, worth the money. Can you upgrade the incandescent versions with a better bulb? Is it the same reflector as Germany gets? I also would like something not black/black. I can do silver though, I prefer some of the other colors. Guards Red and Speed Yellow are out. I would love Arena Red, Orient Red, Lapis Blue preferably with grey. I waffle on Boxster Red interiors... if it was just a touch less orange. I have also noticed the early cars are much more likely to be optioned up. Seems like once the C4S showed up regular Carreras ended up ordered with less equipment. Good to know my list is likely easier than yours to satisfy, just shooting for a spring arrival so plenty of shopping time. Thanks for the leads!

Full leather includes the center console, radio surround, HVAC vents, key insert, etc. It was an extra $4K or so. The leather dash and door cars was $3K + or so option. Best of luck! My search did not take long, but I have to say, driving one is better than searching for one! If you live in rural country, I would totally go for one with Litronics.....they are epic. Who cares what Barney Fife thinks!

Not always. My C4S had the full leather package, plus some additional leather parts. It included the dash, the doors, the rear side panels, the A and C pillars. I also had the leather airbag cover. My vents, radio surround and key insert were not leather covered. You can order all sorts of other leather upgrades. You can get the visors covered in leather, the center console, etc.

I may be the lone Rennlister with this opinion, but...for a 10-15 year old car, simple is better. Every cool option is one more potential item needing service. I was checking out a very high-end Mercedes this weekend, with cool features like active lumbar support (when you're cornering, the opposite bolster inflates to help keep you centered in your seat), user-selectable "mood lighting," separate audio controls for both rear seat passengers, and all I could imagine was how much it would suck when those trinkets start falling apart. Of course, I've lived through owning a gray-market Jag, so I'm probably a little more sensitive on this topic than most.

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At 12 years and 72K everything on my car still works fine and nothing related to the fairly extensive options have required repair or replacement. Full leather still looks great and has remained soft. Truth be told, PSM has saved me from myself several times. I wouldn't want this much rear-engined power without it. Options packages like Comfort and Advanced Technics combined with full leather and PSM really help the 996, built to a price point and sharing lots of components with a lower-priced car, to be the exclusive car it should be. Find a car with as many as you can!

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I'm with you. I appreciate all the options but they are not for me. Not that leather would cause a breakdown, but all my 911's have been quite plain. In another thread I posted that had I found one with roll up windows and no sunroof I would have jumped for joy! Not every car I have can be this way. So if it was a DD then yes I would want it all. Strangely enough option delete cars force a higher premium from the manufacturer, anything RS..... Wish they had made a 996 RS like the 964 or 993

PS rpmsS2 your color, orient red, is outstanding. Would love to see a full size shot.

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I'm with you as well but in addition, to me I wanted the most raw, undiluted experience in my 996(like the older 911's). I generally equate full leather to brands like Lexus or other comfort luxury cars. I really hate the direction that so many car manufacturers are going to(have gone) to ***** themselves out to the masses to increase their bottom line while sacrificing their original vision/concept/ideas in favor of mass appeal/acceptance/sales. I really wished the 996 was offered with a full cloth option outside of the Euro GT3 seats.

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A cloth option would have been great. I tried to find a 968 with the Porsche script cloth interior. That said, full leather should have been standard in a 67K car. Well cared for, it wears much better than vinyl. Doesn't slow the car down one bit either...

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what were u looking to spend....say on a 4CS w 43k on it?

Ralph. Looks great as I suspected ��

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Thanks. It's funny... I wanted Seal Gray (of course), but my wife asked if we could find a red one. When your wife wants a red 911 you don't ask questions, you get to searching. Turns out it is kind of hard to find a 996 C2 in Guards Red. Lots of blacks, grays, silvers, and blues, but not a lot red. I looked nationwide for a coupe of months and only found one, in Chicago, in poor condition. But then one of my search alerts popped this one up in Boston. Had never seen or even heard of Orient Red Metallic. That is was well optioned was just a bonus, though I would not have bought it without Bi-Zenons. Rest is history.

I'll add my 2 cents here as well. I have a 2000 Cab with supple full leather, memory seats, PSM, and a bunch of other options. I was not much of a convertible fan and always felt that the concept was better than the reality. I was wrong. I absolutely love my cab and have the top down whenever I can. Driving with the top down and the Fister D's playing their music is incredible. Putting on the hardtop in the winter is a thrill as well because it feels like a different car. I've never heard of anyone having problems with the seats. I've not had any problems with any of the other options. Buy the car that you love and enjoy the hell out of it. I replaced my soft top this year for $1600. The top was in pretty good shape but the window had delaminated. I felt that 14 years was a good run for a piece of canvas.

What a great bunch of responses, thanks guys! I had forgotten about the perks of having a P-car support group. Jury is out on the Cab, I know I would love it, so would my wife. So many nice ones too. I will look at both Friday, side by side. I get the simple is better idea. My other passion has been the Mercedes G-wagon. It kills me that you can not order this off road truck with anything less than an obnoxious amount of leather and electronics, none of which I need in a rig I intend to get dirty. Seems like all of the stuff that does go bad on these cars is standard, radios, climate controls, window regulators, so adding some options that do not hurt reliability seems to make sense to me. The car will be used for lots of 5-6 hour trips through the mountains. The extra luxury without much extra expense I like. I would like a color, love the reds but guards it too bright, I loved my Velvet Red 928GT... and I see it went to a good home with a Rennlister.

Most G-wagons spent more time in the Starbucks parking lot than they do off road (like most Cayennes).

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Yes no doubt bout it. Mine on the other hand was built to be used. Having organized the first Cayenne Escapade here in Colorado years ago, I can say for certain that Cayennes don't belong off road, not the way we do it here anyhow. This was my '84 280GE...